Standing before an intelligent, focused, and enthusiastic audience to talk about what you know is enough of a reward. But speaking to four consecutive sessions, each with 75 teenagers who are eager to learn and appreciative of the speaker's presence, is a privilege.
I was fortunate to experience that feeling as a contributing presenter at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on April 15, when 4,000 high school students convened as members of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America for their State Leadership Conference.
I presented two workshops each on Time Management Mastery and Writing with Respect on behalf of Operation Enterprise the youth outreach division of the American Management Association.
The week before, on April 8, I had an equally fortuitous speaking engagement at the Operation Enterprise New York City headquarters, where I presented six sessions of Interviewing Skills to rooms of 40 high school students who are members of the New York City Academies, member organizations of the National Academy Foundation.
If the 500 young men and women I met in Hershey and Manhattan are any indication of the USA's youth, then I am beyond optimistic about the country's future. What I saw on those two days without exception was a brilliant reflection of all the FBLA and NAF do. Congratulations, PA FBLA and NYC Academies, and all the best for your success!
